. >> today the united nations is expected to vote to recognize palestine as a sovereign state. the vote to give the palestinians a non-member observer status is opposed by the united states and israel. >> reporter: good morning. that vote will take place in the general assembly where there will be only observer status. to become a member you need u.n. security council and that won't happen because the u.s. will veto it. the u.s. and israel tried hard to get palestine not to go along with today's vote. but they are now down playing it it doesn't give palestine what it wants. it's quiet this morning outside the u.n. but demonstrators are expected to protest the vote on palestinian recognition. palestinians are seeking status as a nonmember observer. palestinians say they need u.n. recognition of a palestinian state in the west bank in order to get israel back to the negotiating table. the u.s. insists on direct negotiations with israel. >> the path to a two state solution is through jerusalem and ramallah, not new york. >> reporter: they recognized the palestine 1977 borders befo